RAILWAY DINING ROOMS.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13939, 24 July 1917, Page 1

RAILWAY DINING ROOMS.

' ALTERATIONS AT OAMARU. ■NEW BOOMS OPENED YESTERDAY. .- An event of importance to tho travelling public passing through Oainaru by railway took place yesterday morning by the opening of the new dining rooms at the Oamaru railway station, when dinner was served to passengers travelling by the north express. Doubtless the change will be more fully appreciated when the dining cars; which are still in commission, are withdrawn from service. The new dining room, part of which has been added to tho south end of the station, and which measures fifty-one feet by twenty-seven feet, will accommodate comfortably 108 guests, with reserve seating room for 120 people. The. whole establishment, together with the old refreshment rooms, is lined with dun-coloured beave'r boards, with rinui panelling—a pleasine change from plain wooden walls. The dining room by day receives the full benefit of Hie sun's rays, and is lighted in the evenings with twelve gas burners/ Three double-folding doors give access Id the room. Two beautifully-grained side-boards of rimu stand at each end of the room, while the chairs aio made of silver roak. For both tea m,( dinin-i rooms a handsome service of electroplate ware is being used-plate that though it has seen fourteen years' sit-' vice on the Railway Department, forks as good as new. The main feature of the refreshment room is the horse-shoe counter and loot-rest, which is mainly the idea of the proprietor, and it is of interest to know that it is in common with the formation of the establishment being accepted as a standard for rooms throughout the Dominion, Four nickelplated tea urns grace the counter. All the water used is first distilled, boiled and chilled, giving satisfaction to the most exacting faddist in hygiene. Tho rooms have been renovated throughout. Tho kitchen is conveniently situated between the two rooms, and in the centre of it stands a large cooker, about seven feet by five feet, made by a Wellington Ann, the Roberts Iron and Steel Company, this firm having also made the tea and coffee urns, Attached to the range there is a hot-press heater for keeping fend and meals hot. Another very useful arrangement is a hot-press and carving table combination, the press be'iii" capable of holding six hundred plates, A double circulatory water cylinder with a capacity of one hundred and fifty gallons supplies all water requirements. In short, in the words of (lie chef, the kitchen is exceedingly well erpiipped. Mr R. Miller was the builder, and Mr T. Robinson the plumber, both being in the employ of the Government. The whole staff consists of three chefs, four refreshment-room and eight diningroom waitresses. The proprietor, Mr J. E. Bennett, who has been the dining-car supervisor for tho South Island, and- has now charge of all the tea and .lining rooms, is well satisfied with the whole arrangement. The dining care aro not being dispensed with as yet, but will probably be abolished in tho next fortnight. '